[BUSINESS]Toxic Baby Lotion Scandal
On Jan 7, a Sina Weibo microblogger posted a video of a 5-month-old infant in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, who started to show symptoms of growth retardation and facial swelling after using a lotion produced by a company based in Zhangzhou, Fujian. Xinhua News Agency reported that story on Jan 9.
今年1月7日，某新浪微博博主发布了一个关于南京的某5个月大婴儿的视频。博主在视频中指出该婴儿因为使用了一段时间某位于福建漳州的公司生产的面霜之后，脸部剧烈肿胀。新华社与9日报道了此事。
The girl's father sent the lotion to a third-party assessment and evaluation organization in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. While the instructions that came with the lotion said it was hormone-free and was suitable for babies' daily skin care. Tests showed a high concentration of a potent steroid had been illegally added to the product. To be precise, it contained 30 milligrams of clobetasol propionate per kilogram, which is often used to treat various skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.
该女婴的父亲将面霜送至浙江杭州某第三方检测机构进行检测。面霜说明书上写明成份不含激素，适合每日涂抹于婴儿面部。而测试结果显示其中含有高浓度的强效类固醇激素，且是非法添加的。具体而言，其中的丙酸氯被他索含量为每公斤30毫克。丙酸氯被他索一般用于治疗多种皮肤问题，比如湿疹及牛皮癣。
According to People’s Daily reported in 18th January 2021, the Health Commission of Zhangzhou, where the toxic lotion is produced, announced that the licence of the company has been suspended, and the case has been under investigation by Public Security Bureau.
据人民日报18日的报道，漳州市卫健委通报了该面霜的生产厂家已被吊销执照，公安机关已经立案侦查。
For starters, the consumers who purchase those baby lotions are aiming for curing eczema while avoiding hormone. They believe that claimed nature ingredients can replace the hormone treatment which may lead to pigmentation and addiction.
首先，消费者在购买这些面霜的时候主要目的是为了治愈小朋友的湿疹的同时避免使用激素。他们相信这些商家宣传的天然成分能够代替激素治疗，因为激素可能引起色素沉着，或者带来成瘾性。
You would be amazed how that marketing strategy worked, just type in the key words of “hormone-free”, “all natural” and “eczema” and search in major online store platforms, the sales is impressive. However, while closely look into the certificate and documents of the products from authority, there are ambiguous. Most of them hold a registration code of “Disinfectant”, “Cosmetics”, not “Medicine”.
略研究就会发现这样的营销套路惊人的有效。只要将“无激素”、“全天然”、“湿疹”作为关键字输入各大网购平台搜索儿童面霜，会有无数的爆品。然而，当仔细研究这些产品的批文等法律文件时，就会发现有许多模糊不清的地方。大部分类似产品都持有“消”字，或者“妆”字，而非“药”字。
However, as an medical fact, the only thing useful to control eczema is hormone, different type at different concentration for different level of symptom.
然而，就医学事实而言，对于控制湿疹有用的外用药品就是激素，各种类型和浓度对应不同程度的症状。
The toxic lotion products holds an registration code of “Disinfectant”, normally, this code is for products like sanitize. Meanwhile, there are many lotions detected to contain hormone but hold a code of “Cosmetics”, while in fact, with hormone the lotions should have registered a code of “Medicine”. Several lab experiments had been done by authoritative medical platforms that many best sold products contain high lever of hormone while their advertisements claim hormone-free and all natural. Yet, the story goes on and parents fall for the marketing strategy constantly.
这款出事的毒面霜持有的准字为“消”字，而一般持有“消”字准字的产品为消毒剂等。与此同时，还有许多被检测出含有激素的面霜持有的是“妆”字。而实际上，只有持有“药”字的外用乳霜才能添加激素。权威医疗平台送检的实验室检测显示，许多网上的爆品湿疹面霜都含有高浓度的激素，而他们的宣传材料都显示无激素添加，全天然。这样的营销故事还在继续，而销售策略依旧。
It is certainly illegal and morale hazard of the company’s choice of making and selling this kind of lotion, but at the same time it is shocking how the products get off the product line, to the market and make sale. If it won’t for such extreme case with such side effect, no one knows how long and how many baby would continue to use such high level of hormone everyday. While accusing the unscrupulous merchant and being angry about dereliction of duty of certain authorities, we have to see the fact that some consumers are really easy to fall for deception. But remember, people learn fast.
显然这家生产公司选择做这样的生意既违法，又没有道德底线，但是同时令人惊异的是这样的产品是如何走下生产线流入市场的。假如不是爆出如此极端的副作用案例，没人会知道有多少婴儿会多长时间每天使用这样的毒面霜。在谴责无良商家以及监管失职的同时，我们也需要认识到消费者们真的非常容易陷入欺骗营销。但是需谨记，人们学习的速度是很快的。
From a business point of view, this case remind us very much of the milk powder scandal. The businessman seized an opportunity to make extra profit by adding harmful ingredient that is not closely monitored by authorities. Yet it might open a new market for safe skin care products for babies. With the high level of attention and aggressive education from doctors and media, the market for skin care might see a massive shuffle. Reference to the 08 dairy product scandal, after which imported milk powder taking lead in China market. Opportunity might just open a door.
从商业的角度来看，这起案例很容易使人联想到2008年的毒奶粉事件。商家为了赚取更多利润在产品中添加了监管机构没有监管到位的非法物质，几乎如出一辙。但是，这可能打开了一个新的儿童护肤品市场。在新闻吸引了大量的关注度，且各大医疗平台在媒体上积极宣传，婴童护肤市场可能会有大的洗牌。参考08年毒奶粉事件直接导致的乳制品洗牌，中国婴儿奶粉市场至今都还是外国品牌的天下。商机也许才刚打开了一道门。
Reference：Sina Weibo, Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily
Chinese&English: Anna
On Jan 7, a Sina Weibo microblogger posted a video of a 5-month-old infant in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, who started to show symptoms of growth retardation and facial swelling after using a lotion produced by a company based in Zhangzhou, Fujian. Xinhua News Agency reported that story on Jan 9.
今年1月7日，某新浪微博博主发布了一个关于南京的某5个月大婴儿的视频。博主在视频中指出该婴儿因为使用了一段时间某位于福建漳州的公司生产的面霜之后，脸部剧烈肿胀。新华社与9日报道了此事。
The girl's father sent the lotion to a third-party assessment and evaluation organization in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. While the instructions that came with the lotion said it was hormone-free and was suitable for babies' daily skin care. Tests showed a high concentration of a potent steroid had been illegally added to the product. To be precise, it contained 30 milligrams of clobetasol propionate per kilogram, which is often used to treat various skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.
该女婴的父亲将面霜送至浙江杭州某第三方检测机构进行检测。面霜说明书上写明成份不含激素，适合每日涂抹于婴儿面部。而测试结果显示其中含有高浓度的强效类固醇激素，且是非法添加的。具体而言，其中的丙酸氯被他索含量为每公斤30毫克。丙酸氯被他索一般用于治疗多种皮肤问题，比如湿疹及牛皮癣。
According to People’s Daily reported in 18th January 2021, the Health Commission of Zhangzhou, where the toxic lotion is produced, announced that the licence of the company has been suspended, and the case has been under investigation by Public Security Bureau.
据人民日报18日的报道，漳州市卫健委通报了该面霜的生产厂家已被吊销执照，公安机关已经立案侦查。
For starters, the consumers who purchase those baby lotions are aiming for curing eczema while avoiding hormone. They believe that claimed nature ingredients can replace the hormone treatment which may lead to pigmentation and addiction.
首先，消费者在购买这些面霜的时候主要目的是为了治愈小朋友的湿疹的同时避免使用激素。他们相信这些商家宣传的天然成分能够代替激素治疗，因为激素可能引起色素沉着，或者带来成瘾性。
You would be amazed how that marketing strategy worked, just type in the key words of “hormone-free”, “all natural” and “eczema” and search in major online store platforms, the sales is impressive. However, while closely look into the certificate and documents of the products from authority, there are ambiguous. Most of them hold a registration code of “Disinfectant”, “Cosmetics”, not “Medicine”.
略研究就会发现这样的营销套路惊人的有效。只要将“无激素”、“全天然”、“湿疹”作为关键字输入各大网购平台搜索儿童面霜，会有无数的爆品。然而，当仔细研究这些产品的批文等法律文件时，就会发现有许多模糊不清的地方。大部分类似产品都持有“消”字，或者“妆”字，而非“药”字。
However, as an medical fact, the only thing useful to control eczema is hormone, different type at different concentration for different level of symptom.
然而，就医学事实而言，对于控制湿疹有用的外用药品就是激素，各种类型和浓度对应不同程度的症状。
The toxic lotion products holds an registration code of “Disinfectant”, normally, this code is for products like sanitize. Meanwhile, there are many lotions detected to contain hormone but hold a code of “Cosmetics”, while in fact, with hormone the lotions should have registered a code of “Medicine”. Several lab experiments had been done by authoritative medical platforms that many best sold products contain high lever of hormone while their advertisements claim hormone-free and all natural. Yet, the story goes on and parents fall for the marketing strategy constantly.
这款出事的毒面霜持有的准字为“消”字，而一般持有“消”字准字的产品为消毒剂等。与此同时，还有许多被检测出含有激素的面霜持有的是“妆”字。而实际上，只有持有“药”字的外用乳霜才能添加激素。权威医疗平台送检的实验室检测显示，许多网上的爆品湿疹面霜都含有高浓度的激素，而他们的宣传材料都显示无激素添加，全天然。这样的营销故事还在继续，而销售策略依旧。
It is certainly illegal and morale hazard of the company’s choice of making and selling this kind of lotion, but at the same time it is shocking how the products get off the product line, to the market and make sale. If it won’t for such extreme case with such side effect, no one knows how long and how many baby would continue to use such high level of hormone everyday. While accusing the unscrupulous merchant and being angry about dereliction of duty of certain authorities, we have to see the fact that some consumers are really easy to fall for deception. But remember, people learn fast.
显然这家生产公司选择做这样的生意既违法，又没有道德底线，但是同时令人惊异的是这样的产品是如何走下生产线流入市场的。假如不是爆出如此极端的副作用案例，没人会知道有多少婴儿会多长时间每天使用这样的毒面霜。在谴责无良商家以及监管失职的同时，我们也需要认识到消费者们真的非常容易陷入欺骗营销。但是需谨记，人们学习的速度是很快的。
From a business point of view, this case remind us very much of the milk powder scandal. The businessman seized an opportunity to make extra profit by adding harmful ingredient that is not closely monitored by authorities. Yet it might open a new market for safe skin care products for babies. With the high level of attention and aggressive education from doctors and media, the market for skin care might see a massive shuffle. Reference to the 08 dairy product scandal, after which imported milk powder taking lead in China market. Opportunity might just open a door.
从商业的角度来看，这起案例很容易使人联想到2008年的毒奶粉事件。商家为了赚取更多利润在产品中添加了监管机构没有监管到位的非法物质，几乎如出一辙。但是，这可能打开了一个新的儿童护肤品市场。在新闻吸引了大量的关注度，且各大医疗平台在媒体上积极宣传，婴童护肤市场可能会有大的洗牌。参考08年毒奶粉事件直接导致的乳制品洗牌，中国婴儿奶粉市场至今都还是外国品牌的天下。商机也许才刚打开了一道门。
Reference：Sina Weibo, Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily
Chinese&English: Anna
